As Charles Flack lay on the battlefield through the night, and
his life's blood was oozing from his limbs, his thought was: "Death
may engulf me in eternal darkness still I have no regret or pain.
He felt the assurance that he was with those who yearned for liberty.
He knew that should he fall before despotism was crushed, he would
be recalled with tenderness and reverence.
Charles Flack was born March 22, 1896, at Stanley, Warrick
County, Indiana. He came to Evansville when he was five years old,
and went to school in this city for three years. His education was
completed at Stanley, where he lived with his grandfather. For about
six months he worked in the L. & N. shops. He left this work to go
on a farm with the purpose of improving his health. While he was
in Evansville he became a member of the Woodmen of the World
Lodge. When Charles Flack heard the call for service, he was by no
means vigorous and not even in normal health. He had suffered from
an attack of the grip, and was under the care of adoctor until two
weeks before his enlistment. On October 4, 1917, he entered the
service and was sent to Camp Taylor. At this camp he was assigned to
Co. A. 335th Infantry. On Good Friday, 1918, he was transferred to
Co. I, 119th Infantry, Camp Sevier, S. C. Six weeks later, May 12, 1918,
he sailed from Boston, Mass., and on May 29 he arrived in France. It
was eight weeks before his family heard from him.
The official telegram said that he "was killed in action," August
2, 1918 at Ypres, Belgium, on the British front. However, a returning
comrade has given his mother numerous details of his death. According
to that account, Charles Flack was stationed as a guard of
guns at Ypres, while the company went out on a night sniping trip.
A German shell burst, killing one of his comrades instantly, and
blowing off Charles Flack's foot. A comrade tried to get first aid,
but he came too late. He was not rescued. For six hours of the
night he lay on the battlefield gradually bleeding to death. He was
buried in Ypres, in cemetery No.439. All of his personal effects have
been returned to his mother.
Lieut.-Colonel, Charles C. Pierce, Q. M. C., in a letter to his
mother said: "You will be comforted to know that his body has been
recovered and that it lies buried in a place which for military reasons
cannot at this moment be disclosed. You need have no fear, however,
that there will be any danger of the loss of this location, or the
record of interment."
_____
Sons of Men: Evansville's War Record,
Compiled by Heiman Blatt,
Published by Abe P. Madison, 1920
pp60-61.